Wire-stretcher



' B. NORTW ED.

WIRE STRETCHER. APPLICATION rim) APR. 1, 1919.

"13350337, I .Patented Aug. 17, 192'o-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.- Bennie firfwe'a 8. NORTWED.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. $919.

I Patented Aug.

BENNIE ivon'rwnn, or KELLERTON, IO A.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Application filed April 7, 1919.

To all whom; it may concern:

Be it known that I, BnNNln NoRTWED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kellerton, in the county of Ringgold and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has for an object to present a wire stretcher having an extremely simple mounting adapted to be manipulated with great ease and rapidity, both for the ad justment of the devicevupon a the like for stretching the wire, and in its operation for drawing a wire taut in position to be fastened to a post. It is an especial object of the invention to give a stretcher which is adapted to draw the wire past a post upon which the stretcher itself is mounted, and this without liability of the device being pulled laterally by reason of the tension upon the wire. 7

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention may be understood from the construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting one of the embodiments of my invention as hereinafter described and shown in the drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my invention mounted upon a fence post, at the wire side, 7

Fig. 2 is a top view,

Fig. 3 is a detail rear view plate for the stretcher,

Fig. 4 is a detail of the wire keeper and releasing devices of the guide arm,

Fig. 5 is a detail of the brake cam.

Fig. 6 shows the initial position of the saddle plate for engagement of the chaln therewith, I

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Flg. 2 of a modification.

There is illustrated a fence post 10 upon which a wire stretcher of the saddle is mounted, com

prising a vertical saddle plate 11, plani-' form in the main, positioned to receive against its forward side of the post 10, a horizontal arm 12 being mounted rigidly upon the plate, projected a considerable dis tance forwardly in line with the fence under construction, and a much shorter distance toward the rear. The plate 11 is formed of sheet metal having an ear 13 formed thereon turned rearwardly and riveted to the arm 12, while a brace 14 is extended from the outer edge of the saddle plate rear- Specification of Letters Patent.

fence post or Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

.Serial No. 288,022.

wardly to the arm The lower part of vthe saddle plate is provided with a series of slots 16 opening'on its lower edge, which edge 1s curved toward the rear slightly, these slots being. adapted to receive therein a link'of a chain 15 secured to the inner lower corner *of the saddle plate, these slots being spaced transversely of the plate beginning at a edge.

pointclose to its outer vertical Theplate is'curved to the rear a short distance above the slots, for a purpose .which will be indicated. The plane of the upper part of the plate may be at any angle of less than 90 degrees to the arm 12, if desired, so that a post engaged in the device as will befexplained will be borne forcibly against the arm; 12 when the device is pulled forwardly. The arm 12 may be formed in any suitable way, but as illustrated, comprises a tubular element, its cross section being rectangular, with a vertical dimension considerably the greater. Upon the rear endof the arm 12 there is mounted a large pulley 17, suitably grooved to form a guide for a barbed wire to be drawn around, as will be described. At the forward end, the arm 12 is provided with a downward extension '18, having two pins 19 therein upon which guide pulleys 20 are revolubly mounted, being retained by head portions of suitable form at the outer parts of the pins. A look plate 21 is removably engaged upon the pins 19 to close the space between the pulleys at the side opposite the extension 18 of the arm 12, suitable washers or other enlargements being provided upon the extremities of the pins as at 22, whereby the plate 21 is held in position. The plate is provided with a medial slot 23, stopping short of one end of the plate adistance less than the radius of one of the pulleys 20, while a longitudinal slot 24 opens upon the above mentioned end of the plate, whereby the plate may be moved longitudinally until one of the pins 19 is disengaged from the slot 24, permitting the plate to be swung pivotally out of engaging position and re turned when desired. The arm 12 is provided with an upwardly extending bracket 25, upon which there is mounted a pulley 26. A movable pulley frame 27 is provided, upon which one or more pulleys 28 may be mounted, this frame being provided at its rear part with a wire grip 29 shown in engagement with a portion of barbed wire 80. A brake or cam device 31 is mounted upon the pulley frame 27 having a cam portion presented to bear upon a cable passing over the pulley or pulleys 28, being so proportioned and pivoted with respect to the pulleys 28 that its binding action upon a cable passing over the pulley will increase pro gressively with the strain upon the cable. A cable 32 is engaged around the pulleys 26 and 28, being suitably anchored at one end, while its free end extends from one of the pulleys as at 33, so that this end may be grasped by an operator and drawn upon to move the frame 27 forwardly, as indicated, for stretching of the wire. The pulleys 20 are mounted upon that side of the arm 12 at which the saddle plate is disposed, so that the wire 30 extending from the completed portion when passed between the rollers 20 and about the pulley 17, will be drawn close against the post 10 where it may readily be fastened by staples or other fasteners driven into the post. The engagement of the wire 30 between the keeper plate 21 and the downward extension 18 serves to hold the arm against swinging one way or the other under the tension in the wire when pulling against the rear end of the arm 12, due to th; passage of the wire around the pulle 1 Tn order to adjust my stretcher in operative position, it is only necessary to" grasp the arm 12 in one hand, and present it against the post 10 while inclined upwardly toward the forward end, the lower edge por. tion of the saddle plate being disposed against the back side of thepost, and, while held in this position, the other hand of the operator. is utilized to secure the chain in one of the slots 16 at a distance. from the arm 12 slightly less than the diameter of the post. The chain being adjusted around the post at a level slightly below that at which it is desired to fasten the wire to be stretched, the forward end of the arm 12 is allowed to fall, in which movement the lower edge of the saddle plate draws the ends of the chain 14 rearwardly, tightening it upon the post and causing the upper part of the saddle to bear forcibly against the post, thereby holding the, device securely in place. The wire to be stretched may then be adjusted within the keeper plate 21, passed around'the pulley.l7 and engaged with the gripper 29- while the frame 27 is located near the rear end of the arm 12, after which the cable 33 is operated as indicated to draw up the wire.

What is claimed is:

. 41 device of the character described com prising a post engaging saddle plate, arm mounted thereon .at one side extendi'ng forwardly in the line of wire stretching a considerable distance, and extending in the opposite direction a much shorter distance, 'a wire keeper at the forward end of the arm, a wire guiding and constructed to engage and draw a wire forwardly from said pulley.

pulley atv the rear end, and a wire take-up device mounted adjacent the rear end of the arm, positioned 

